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St. John's Bar & Grill
Categories: Restaurants American (Traditional) Restaurants Burgers Nightlife Bars American (Traditional), Burgers, Bars [Edit]
510 Lawrence ExpySte 110
Sunnyvale, CA 94085
(408) 738-8515
- Hours:
Mon 11 am - 9 pm
Tue-Fri 11 am - 10 pm
Sat 11:30 am - 9 pm
- Delivery:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Music:
- Juke Box
- Best Nights:
- Wed, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Drive-Thru:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
996 reviews for St. John's Bar & Grill
Review Highlights
"The garlic fries are done really well."
(in 162 reviews)
"I love love love their "beg for mercy" burger."
(in 87 reviews)
"Mmmmm and the onion rings are just awesome."
(in 141 reviews)
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996 reviews in English
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Review from Nico L.
Los Angeles, CA
2/6/2012
I love five-star restaurants.
And I'm not talking about the places that give you candy with your bill or sing you "Happy Birthday" when it probably isn't your birthday. I'm talking about the places that make you feel like you walked in wearing cotton and walked out wearing velvet. Like you walked in with a taste for Patron and walked out with an affinity for Pinot Noir. Put simply, I like a place that makes you a better man by the time you walk out the fucking door.
St. John's is one of these places. And they do it through their massive burgers, delicious sauces, and french fry baskets large enough to end hunger and begin worldwide obesity.
I came here after nearly 12 straight hours of filming with a good friend of mine who's a videographer. The project involved following a couple through their day and filming their hobbies in addition to interviewing friends and family about their relationship (engagement video). After hiking up mountains, driving all across the south bay, and countless interviews while hauling camera equipment, we finally called it a day around 9 p.m. and headed over to St. John's. Without hesitation, I ordered a double cheeseburger with an order of fries and a tall glass of blue moon. I'd tell you how much it all cost but at this point I really didn't care so long as the burger was delicious and the beer was true.
While waiting for my order, I noticed the self-serve sauce station and was surprised to find curry ketchup, chipotle ketchup, honey mustard, and another sauce that might've been ranch. I can't say enough how much I enjoy unique house ketchups (so long as they actually taste good) especially since I hardly ever find places that make them. Without thinking I run up and get a cup of each sauce and bring them over to our table right around the time our food came out. I take a seat only to find a behemoth-sized cheese burger next to an even LARGER pile of garlic fries.
At first bite, the meat is cooked medium well with enough cheese and fixings to make you slow down and think about what you're eating/tasting. This isn't your momma's cheese burger or a jr. bacon cheeseburger from your neighborhood Jack. This was goliath and I was David. After finally swallowing the first bite, I tried the fries which were crispy and evenly covered in garlic sauce. The best part about having these delicious fries is knowing that you have another pound of fries waiting to be dunked into the different sauces you brought to the table.
sauce order: 1) curry ketchup, 2) chipotle ketchup, 3) honey mustard
If you haven't tried curry ketchup, its a MUST.
Bottom line: If you're a (southern) californian who loves burgers, St. John's is a must try. Especially after a long day, nothing beats a great burger, heaping piles of fries, and a tall beer.
If you enjoy watching sports, plan on sticking around and ordering another round because their TV's are set to whatever matchup is taking place. -
Review from Theresa D.
San Jose, CA
2/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
I've been to this place before, a really long time ago. A friend suggested that we meet here for lunch and since it's been a while, I thought it would be fun to give it a try again. Customer service was okay, but I think it could have been better. When we got there, it was no longer rush hour, but I felt like I was being rushed when giving my order. To say the least, when I picked up my food, I asked for a plate as I prefer to not eat out of a basket. Rather than placing my food on a plate since it was still on the counter, the guy just handed me a plate! Sheesh!
Anyways, I ordered the Teriyaki Chicken Sandwich. In a word, BLAND!!!! There was no flavor, but a lot of lettuce. Although there was teriyaki sauce, I really couldn't taste anything. I even tried to put honey mustard on it to enhance the flavor and that was a complete fail because the honey mustard itself was bland! Even worse, with a side of fries, this tasteless, flavorless chicken sandwich was $11+.
In the future, if I'm craving a Teriyaki Chicken Sandwich, I'll just go to Red Robin. At least they have endless fries over there and it already comes with the sandwich. -
Review from Sue Ellen E.
Santa Clara, CA
2/4/2012
After driving past it for many years, we finally tried St. John's.
First impression? Chaos and confusion.
I entered through the dining room, walk all the way through the tables and past the buffet table of chips and veggies and dip, then tried to figure things out from there. I didn't know where the line was, as there was a sea of people shouting across the way at each other about what to order. There were several staff standing around behind the counter, interacting with each other, but none of them acknowledged me. You know, that deliberate avoidance of eye contact when someone can't be bothered or isn't ready for you? I knew it was a cafeteria-style, no-waiter-service place, but I felt really unwelcome and uncomfortable. Almost walked out.
It became clear that the large group of people weren't forming a line; they were one group who were being dealt with by one employee; so I found another. I approached the register and asked her if she would take my order (kinda backwards huh?). Thank goodness she was really sweet and ordering was no problem. They have lil' devices you carry to be alerted to when your food is ready and self-service on the drinks. Very cool that they have Dr. Pepper!
All the booths were full already, and this was only a few minutes after 4 p.m. We settled for a non-booth, when a wonderful customer gestured that she was done with her booth and we could have it. Sweet! We had to clean it first, but it was understandable that she left her stuff on the table; there weren't any garbage cans around! It was odd that there were no napkins on the table. We took turns going back to find stuff, like napkins, get ketchup, straws, trips to the buffet table, and finally our food order without someone grabbing our table.
I saw in reviews that some people object to customers "saving" the table while the other goes to grab things, but come on, that's how it's set up here. In a restaurant that has napkin dispensers and bottles of condiments on the table, that wouldn't be so important, but here, it's mandatory! No one is going to bring you anything -- you have to get up and get it. Of course we're not going to sacrifice a place to sit to go retrieve our things. Sheesh. Get there sooner to have better chances of getting a table. I didn't have enough hands as it was, and carried a ketchup container between my teeth. We weren't going to sit outside, even though it was warm enough, as people were smoking out there. We would have, otherwise.
The veggie burger was great! It came with a bag of potato chips. I also got a cup of chili which was wonderful. Just as good as the chili at Sweet Tomatoes but with more chili powder. My sweetheart got an order of fries, which was a great size. He loved the fries! They were very good. I enjoyed dipping them in the various kinds of ketchup! That was a treat. I got full. Just the right amount of food, and the burger was half off! Cool!
The restaurant could really stand to have some garbage cans around. They don't even have them near the buffet table! I didn't see a single garbage can anywhere in the dining area. That was lame. Eventually someone came and removed our debris as we were leaving. Other than that, you have to clean off your own table when you get one.
We would go back, for the great deals especially. The food was delicious. We wouldn't bring anyone here that we wanted to impress with atmosphere or have meetings in which we would need to hear each other. It gets very loud, with large families and swarms going back and forth from the dining area to the front. It's not a pretty or clean-feeling dining room but it will do with food this good. I think St. John's would do fantastically as part of a food court in a shopping mall, if it ever wanted to.Listed in: My 'Hood, Best Eats, Best Place to Take Kids, Best Veggie Burgers
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Review from Shan C.
Mountain View, CA
2/1/2012
I cannot say enough about this place!! This place is the bomb. Back in the 90's I use to go to Red Robins in San Mateo but since they've down sized their burgers to McDonald Burgers I've been on the hunt for a good burger. One day my friend took me to this place and ever since I've been blown away by the service, the atmosphere and the best bartender - Dan. Dan is the man. He'll take super care of you. Getting back to the burgers - OMG!! Moist and cooked just right. Garlic Bleu Cheese burger please!!! And don't forget the calamari or the garlic fries. Yeah OMG- big time!!!
If you're looking for a great sports bar, or just to hang out with friends/family this place is it. Wednesday nights you get 1/2 off everything too. Drinks and food.
The downside of the establsihment is it's so popular during prime time it can be sometimes hard to find a seat and or parking. Especially during sports season. But once you get the food you'll see it was well worth the wait. -
Review from Shawday B.
San Francisco Bay, CA
2/1/2012 2 Check-ins Here
My husband & I came here a few weeks back for the 49er/Saint game. I got a cheeseburger that we requested to be medium rare. It was well done and not juicy. We didn't feel like waiting longer and battling the line- so we just ate it. It was okay. Flavor was good but it was super dry. Neither of us were SUPER impressed with it - which sucked because after the reviews and pictures we expected to be BLOWN AWAY. =(
Later my husband ordered the pastrami cheesesteak & fries and lemme tell ya...St. John's redeemed itself. The cheesesteak was SUPER good and so were the fries. Did the burger disappointment suck? Epicly. But will we be back for a pastrami cheesesteak and to try another burger (emphasis on the 'medium rare'), and some other items on the menu? You betcha! -
Review from Golda R.
1/28/2012 2 photos
To my surprise burgers are 1/2 off on Saturdays. I was quite pleased with the half off deal that I was willing to wait in their long line just to try this place out. Definitely worth the wait for half off, and especially because my beau loves burgers.
I ordered the guacamole bacon burger and my husband ordered the roasted garlic and bleu cheese burger. We also got a side of garlic fries because it seemed popular when we went (monkey see, monkey do).
I really want to give this place more then 3 stars. I really do. But there were a few mishaps that occurred on our visit.
First, the line was backed up almost out the door. I didn't think anything of it until my husband and I were close to the front, waiting to be called to take our order. I notice there is only 1 cashier and apparently the other one (who's supposed to help) was only helping when it was most convenient for her. I mean this girl would rather take sips of water, go to the bar area and do something else before taking any orders (it was like we were on her time). I felt kind of bad for the other cashier, who was consistently ringing up customers while her fellow worker was dilly dallying about.
My next complaint is my husband's order --he was given the wrong burger. He didn't realize it until he took one bite. Enough said.
My last complaint is about the men's bathroom. Does it really need to be right next to tables? We so happened to have chosen an unfortunate spot where we were right next to it. Fortunately no one took a dump so I was saved. But just thinking of someone dropping a bomb and opening the doors for us to smell was a nightmare. I was seriously scared of getting a slight whiff of anything odorous.
I did love my guacamole and bacon burger though. It was delish. And I did love how our food came out fast. I think we waited in line longer then it took for our food to arrive. It probably only took 5 minutes. When my husband went to pick up our order, he noticed that the guys were working hard in churning out the fries. So I gotta give it to the hardworking kitchen staff. And also the bus boys who would immediately clean the tables (very fast turn around time), and very much appreciated.
I also love how much of a family place this is. We saw and heard tons of babies. (Yay for being kid-friendly and for kid menus)
So I guess my 3 star review can be because of one particular slow workin' cashier. But I must emphasize, the whole point of dining out is for the experience. No one wants a crappy experience. Especially when my husband and I can easily make great burgers ourselves.Listed in: South Bay Eats, Cheap Eats - Bay Area, If we don't cook, Burger Bonanza!
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Review from Kevin T.
San Jose, CA
2/8/2012
5 star for thier kobe burger always cooked nicely. I can really tell the differences between the burgers.
:] great pairing with a blue moon -
Review from Kim P.
Sunnyvale, CA
1/26/2012
Wed night special. 1/2 off burgers. They currently have 3 special burgers on the menu worth your time and hunger. All fall under the term of "Kobe" burgers - such a joke. If there was any sign of "Kobe" in the actual burger it wouldn't be $10 bux unless you smoked crack and WISHED it so.
So in reality, you get this.... a solid burger on par with the Midwest that prides themselves in meat. It's on a brioche bun that's perfectly toasted. The meat patty is perfectly cook (medium) of course. Anything else is sacrilege. People that suck all the value out of food are so blind. oops. i think i dropped my filter.
Anyhow mine had sauteed onions and bacon and we all how lovely bacon is! They were generous with the toppings. Yum
Top it with garlic fries and it's a meat lovers heaven. Two thumbs up. -
Review from Nidhi J.
San Jose, CA
1/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
Burger Bash!
This is a great option if you want burgers and are not in a mood for In-n-Out. The burger quality is substantial and generous, with the meat always fresh and moist. A bit loud and noisy joint, but its perfect for lunch.They are typically busy at lunch hours with really long lines, the lines move fast though and they do have ample seating in the patio. Parking may be a challenge at times....
I've tried the Beg-for-Mercy Cheese Burger, don't go by the name if you are looking to beg for mercy. It was really not that spicy and get the Garlic Fries with it, the combination is pretty darn good. The other good option here has been the Philly Cheese-Steak, with a lot of peppers, onions and mushrooms. It's really a great flavor and texture, a bit messy but worth the mess.
They have a fantastic Happy Hour! Half off on Burgers Monday through Friday (except Thursday) from 4pm-9pm and half off, all day Saturday. That's a really good deal for dinner. -
Review from Mimi T.
San Jose, CA
1/16/2012 5 Check-ins Here
This place gets super busy on Fridays.
They have an amazing selection of food, and their happy hour changes everyday.
I love their Philly cheese steaks, and they even have it with chicken if youre not a big fan of red meat.
They have outdoor seating and plenty of seating inside as well with big tv screen that play whatever games are on at the moment.
One of my favorite lunch spots thats for sure! If you havent checked them out, well its about time! -
Review from Birdy H.
Santa Clara, CA
1/6/2012
First time eating here! I must say the experience was pretty good. The place was packed even after rush hour. We got here around 1-ish and most of the tables were taken still. The line was a bit long but went pretty quickly.
I got the cobb salad since I'm not a big burger person. The salad was great. Hit the spot! Price was decent for the salads however I still can't get over paying anything more than $5 bucks for a burger!
The onion rings and the fries with the cheese etc was awesome as well.
Next time I'm here, I'm going to try the Kobe burger. -
Review from Mike V.
San Jose, CA
1/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
There is a reason that there is a line out the door every day for lunch.
TRI TIP TUESDAYS are especially a day to get there as the doors open.
Homemade fries are amazing, along with specialty ketchup's of - curry and chipotle - don't knock em till you tried them, you will get hooked.
Large burgers with wonderful flavor, and a full bar with lots of TV's to catch all the sports events.
Tons of daily specials to make it a fun happy hour every day of the week. -
Review from Rob K.
Livermore, CA
1/12/2012
Joined my bro and sis-in-law for some dinner @ St. John's with our parents. And it was Wednesday night, so ALL THE BURGERS WERE HALF PRICE! Incredible deal...our table got the Mushroom Swiss burger, Guaco Bacon burger, Cajun Burger, and I think a Cheeseburger or too. All were cooked perfectly and very well seasoned. Not to mention around 3-4 bucks each with the half price burger promotion!
Incredibly busy when we arrived, but got a parking spot after circling for about 5 minutes. Line that led right up to the front door, but it went QUICKLY, and we were sitting at a table with a frosty pitcher of beer waiting for our order inside of 10 minutes.
This is definitely a no-frills, burgers, onion rings, and beer joint...try the different types of ketchup...my favorite was the curry ketchup!! -
Review from Vicky b.
1/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
OK, so I was kinda prepared to not like this place even though the reviews are outstanding. I'm a vegetarian and this place screamed meat, meat, meat.
But I have to say I really enjoyed it. We went on a Wednesday and all the burgers were 1/2 off (they have awesome deals every day). My bf and I both had veggie versions of burgers. I love that they have so many options for types of burgers. It's not just plain or cheese. I had the Jalapeno Burger and my bf had the Old School Classic Cheeseburger - and both were super flavorful. Yeah, they just stick in a "garden burger" patty and that's not my favorite choice of veggie patty but their burgers have so much going on around the patty that it didn't really matter!
We also got their onion rings - I HIGHLY RECOMMEND! What I also really liked was how many choices of sauces they had. My boyfriend loved the curry ketchup and I really liked their honey mustard. I'm not a honey mustard person at all, and this is the only time I've ever really liked it.
I will say that this place was pretty full, so make sure to get their early or avoid game nights. Seems like a pretty popular hangout. -
Review from Matthew C.
Campbell, CA
1/5/2012
Certainly not the best burgers I've ever had, or even the best in the area (Slider's Burgers on San Carlos). A little expensive (generally 7-9$ for what I consider a $6 burger). BUT, they are tasty (even if the fries aren't that good) and they have all kinds of "specials" to seriously reduce the damage :
--------------------
Monday 4:00pm-9:00pm All Cheesesteaks are 1/2 price
4:00pm-6:00pm Bud, Coors Light, and MGD $4.50 a pitcher
Tuesday 4:00-10:00pm All Chicken is 1/2 price
Wednesday 4:00pm-10:00pm Burger Bash, all hamburgers 1/2 price
Thursday 4:00pm-8:00pm Well Drinks $1.99 & Bud, Coors Light, and Miller $4.50 a pitcher
Friday 4:00pm-10:00pm Cheap Eats, all appetizers 1/2 price
Saturday 11:30am-9:00pm (All Day) Burger Bash, all hamburgers 1/2 price
-------------------
I wouldn't drive 10 miles to eat there unless somebody insisted, but if I'm in the area it's a nice place to grab a bite. -
Review from Kimberly C.
San Ramon, CA
12/15/2011
St John. I can't stop saying your name. You do it juuuust right and know what I like. Fries somehow stick together but have crisp slight chew to it. Quite the delectable bite, so addicting you make this girl down nearly half of the pile. Plus, who even creates curry ketchup, chipotle ketchup, and my ultimate fave, HONEY MUSTARD?! Philly was alright but I'll forgive you since you, according to my bf, do burgers well. Only you provide weekday bbq lunch specials and daily deals (dine-in only):
Monday 4:00pm-9:00pm
All Cheesesteaks are 1/2 price
4:00pm-6:00pm
Bud, Coors Light, and MGD $4.50 a pitcher
Tuesday 4:00-10:00pm
All Chicken is 1/2 price
Wednesday 4:00pm-10:00pm
Burger Bash, all hamburgers 1/2 price
Thursday 4:00pm-8:00pm
Well Drinks $1.99
Bud, Coors Light, and Miller $4.50 a pitcher
Friday 4:00pm-10:00pm
All appetizers 1/2 price
Saturday 11:30am-9:00pm (All Day)
Burger Bash, all hamburgers 1/2 price
You always satisfy me, St John. Only stopped by once, but I'll be back again for my next craving. If health wasn't a concern, I'd have a little bit of you everyday of the week. -
Review from Hubert S.
Santa Clara, CA
1/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
Great place for hangin' out with some friends for a down to earth experience. Got there at 4pm so there wasn't a line. Portions were generous, and tasted good too. Garlic fries, and Jalapeno poppers were delicious. Come go there if you're cravings call for some comfort food.
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Review from Kathy Y.
San Jose, CA
12/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Hm, did I have to beg for mercy?? I think not! The Beg for Mercy Burger was worth the full price. I'd love to come back during their half off burgers (Wednesday or Saturday). We came on a Thursday which has $5 pitchers with tons of big screens to watch a game. I'm not a huge sports watcher, but sitting in a room full of football/hockey watchers really pumps you up. Makes me want to go to a real hockey game someday and see real face punching!
Finding a table wasn't too hard even on a Sharks game night. You just have to be smart about it. Go with at least another person. Both (or all of you) man a corner until a party leaves while one of you order a pitcher and garlic fries. Once a table opens up, dive on over like your life depends on that spare table. Don't worry about the mess, a bus boy is quick to clean it all away (awesome and fast customer service) By the time your table is clean, your other friend is back with the pitcher and food. Dig in time! -
Review from Eugene M.
Santa Clara, CA
12/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
I typically come here on Wednesdays, just because of their Burger Bash deal: 1/2 off all burgers on their menu. Every day, they have a different special.
I've only tried a couple of their burgers - the "Beg For Mercy" and the "Hickory." The "Beg For Mercy" adds grilled serrano peppers for a little tingle, while the "Hickory" adds bacon, barbecue sauce, and grilled onion.
Their fries are good, but nothing to rave about. Their garlic fries, on the other hand, AMAZING. I used to drive to Downtown San Jose to Gordon Biersch, or even to Candlestick Park on the outskirts of San Francisco for garlic fries, but now I only have to drive a few minutes away. I loved their beer battered onion rings as well.
All in all, they have a large variety of burgers to choose from, as well as chicken sandwiches, philly cheese steaks, and various appetizers and sides. Definitely one of my go-to spots when I'm looking for cheap (but good) eats. -
Review from Matt C.
San Jose, CA
1/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
What a great hidden little gem in the south bay area. This burger joint/ bar is a great place to meet up with friends and enjoy a burger. These burgers are throw back burgers. The buns are extremely soft and the meat is a bit greasy. The place doesn't care that the trendy world of food is happening outside because they have been doing it the correct way for them. This is not a gourmet burger place the counter so don't be expecting the trendy look to the restaurant but it makes a great pub style burger. The burgers are large and come with chips. The place is very noisy and the line can be tremendously long at times. I had to wait for about 20 minutes to order. Good solid place that will get my business again.
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Review from Sean L.
Walnut Creek, CA
12/31/2011
Tasty burgers, salads, and garlic fries! Great alternative to In-n-Out, because they have many variations of hamburgers here.
Very "hip" spot with lots of LCD TVs and teens & young adults chattering away. One caveat is, you might find this joint a bit too loud for your liking.
But just for the food... great! -
Review from Kurt N.
12/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
Besides the long lines during lunch, this spot is the place to be if you wanted to find yummy delicious burgers and fries. I've been here a couple of times.
Once, we had arrived late, yes i know...amateurs to the spot...but we didn't realize they'd already have a line by 11:30 am!!! The best part was that the line moved faster than I had imagined and the food was out before your stomach began grumbling and whining. I had a the mushroom swiss burger and it was the best one I've had in my lifetime. On top of that was the array of sauces they had for the fries...if I'm right, they had a chipotle ketchup which went well with the burger and fries.
The next time around, we were prepared and came in early enough that the line wasn't too long. This time, I had ordered the bacon cheeseburger because for some odd reason I was craving some BACON! As usual, the patty was juicy and the darn orange looking sauce went well with the burger and the fries...YUM!!!
Come early and be there with an empty stomach! Happy Yelping!!! -
Review from Kavita A.
Sunnyvale, CA
1/22/2012
I was really hoping for something good here, but was very disappointed. I ordered take-out and when I got there the place was packed out of control. People were standing in line to order their food for 30-45 minutes. I went up to the bar to get mine and the service was ok, but not great. Left, went home, and ate. The chicken on the chicken sandwich was bland and tough, the tomato was mushy, and there was like 3 huge pieces of iceberg lettuce...better chicken sandwiches at Wendy's (and cheaper). Took 3 bites and threw it out. The bleu cheese and bacon fries were good, but at 3am I threw them all up. Sorry, I know that's gross but I thought it necessary to say because I NEVER throw up. So needless to say, I will not be going back here.
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Review from Karen C.
1/8/2012 3 Check-ins Here
Being a true carnivore, I just like me some good ground up meat on a bun. St. John's does it perfectly every time. I have been coming here off and on since high school - I'm not going to tell you how long that is - and it's still the best burger in town.
I have a new favorite - the Guaco Bacon Burger. Creamy guacamole, thick bacon, juicy meat patty on a fresh bun. What's not to love I ask??
Every day there is a dine in special and my favorite is the half price Burgers on Wednesday and Saturday. This means I have no excuse to not go and get my fix! Love the special ketchups - the curry ketchup is my new favorite and when I get the fries it is a must have!!
I recommend coming in to check out happy hour when they have fresh made potato chips with a yummy onion dip and fresh tortilla chips with a tomatillo salsa. I could gorge myself on those alone!
I don't know who found them greasy but mine have been cooked to a perfect medium doneness and not drippy - it's only a one or two napkin meal not a five napkin meal...
Over all it's super yummy and good value for what you get. -
Review from J H.
San Jose, CA
12/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've come here with friends more than once, and I've had decent experiences both times, but it was pretty average. The fries aren't spectacular, but the variety of ketchup is pretty good (they have curry ketchup!). The burgers that we ordered were good, but they didn't really stand out in any way. The time that it took for our burgers to get to us wasn't too long.
I sat outside both times because it was too crowded inside, and the outdoor seating was comfortable. Inside the atmosphere is warm and there are large TVs that are good for watching sports in big groups.
They have special deals on certain times on different days, and that can make your meal more worth it, but I'm sure there are tons of people that come in during those times. They are for dining in too, so you can't use the deals with takeout.
Overall, I feel like this is a pretty average burger place, I wouldn't call it "best in the Silicon Valley." I would probably try coming back after I turn 21 but for now I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. -
Review from Victor D.
San Jose, CA
1/26/2012
The food is good. Nice place to chill for college students and after work. You can meet pretty women who love to feast on the burgers (which is a turn on!). The price for the Cheese Steaks' are high in my opinion but overall food quality is good.
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Review from Chris D.
Hayward, CA
11/30/2011
I once worked with someone whose last name was Berger. I have no idea what that has to do with this review. Oh right, came here one day to try the burgers.
It was a chilly weekday afternoon when we decided to gallivant our way to St Johns. Upon walking in there were a lot of people inside. Like "Don't you people have work to do?" busy. Oh right the economy, my bad. The ordering line wasn't too slow though, and it gave us time to scope the menu for what we wanted.
After much mental debate, I settled in on the Beg for Mercy Cheeseburger. It said it was nuclear hot, so like any incredulous bastard I wanted to see for myself. After they took my order they handed over one of those flashing vibrators they use at Cheesecake Factory. And yea there was a good wait till I got my food.
Eventually the food came and it was time to see if I was going to be begging for mercy. Hmm, it was kinda hot. I wouldn't say I was begging for anything, but pondering whether it could use another jalapeno or two. Other than that, standard issue burger. I stil think Umami has more going for it. However, the fries were pretty addicting. Price wise the burger was between $7-8 so nothing too crazy.
So overall, it's okay. I would come back to try some of the other items. But I'd prefer not to beg for anything; just ask politely. -
Review from Katharine A.
San Jose, CA
11/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
We got spicy cheesesteaks (with hot peppers). It had a specific name, but I can't remember what it was. They were delicious! Cooked well, overflowing with meat and cheesy goodness. Well worth the calories.
I was here to catch up with an old friend and after a late lunch we grabbed a cocktail and gabbed at the bar. We ended up staying for long enough that we waited until 4 so we could order the fries with bacon and cheese. Absolute yumminess; heavy and filling and not an everyday treat....I recommend sharing these because it would be a lot for one person. -
Review from Christina G.
Los Angeles, CA
1/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
50% off burgers Wednesday! Tis worth it. Deals every day of the week, and all day (?). Anyways great. The guac burger was the first one that caught my eye...was debating between the mushroom, but was pleased with my guac decision. Not overly messy, not overly greasy with oil, decent sized patty, and normal looking lettuce and tomato. Chipotle ketchup is also so good on it! Not that difficult to find a seat, even when all the tables are filled, because there is ALWAYS someone who is "just" leaving, and the employees are really great about clearing the table quickly efficiently and leaving no stains behind. Great. Pretty loud inside so if you don't have anything to talk about (or anything to say at the moment), that works out. And THIS is how a relaxing meal can take place.
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Review from Jonathan l.
Sunnyvale, CA
12/17/2011
I would've given this place 2 stars, but the happy hour drinks are great.
I end up coming here a lot b/c its nearby work, and friends like to go here. The atmosphere entices people to drink and be merry along with several TVs. ITs a happening place when the Sharks are playing on TV. Its always packed, but the food is just plain average. Ive had a few phillycheese steaks/burgers of various combinations. On the plus side, this is the only place i know of where they offer curry ketchup! -
Review from Cat N.
11/19/2011
We were a little lost when we first came in because it's a seat yourself kind of deal, and we didn't have any servers pay attention to us so we just grabbed a drink at the bar and went out to the patio.
They're surprisingly limited for the amount of beer they have on tap, and the drinks are nowhere near stiff enough, but whoa they were cheap! A pint and a whiskey sour were just $9 together!
Seems like a good place to get rowdy with some friends, and the food smelled good, but I don't think I'd come back unless I was in the area where there's nowhere else to go. -
Review from Linda N.
San Jose, CA
12/3/2011
I've been here a long time ago and didn't remember much about it, but I recently went back to lunch and I'm impressed.
I had the Kobe #2 burger that had bacon, bleu cheese, and peppers. It was awesome! I don't even like burgers that much in the first place.
I will definitely return on a Weds. night or Saturday for half-off burgers. You should go too! -
Review from P M.
Los Angeles, CA
Updated - 2/1/2012
I had returned 3 more times and had the barbecued chicken and pulled pork sandwich. Everything has been excellent and at a good price.
1 Previous Review:
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10/18/2011
The best tri-tip sandwich I have ever had!!! Good prices too!
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Review from Nicole S.
Evanston, IL
12/25/2011
The turkey burger at St. Johns' was tasty except for the fact that it gave me food poisoning. About 2 hours after eating it, I spent the whole night vomiting and then could barely sit up for over 2 days after that.
I wouldn't even post this negative review if the restaurant had followed up with me to take the proper measures. I called them the day after eating there to tell them that I got food poisoning from an under-cooked burger.
They took down my name, contact info, and details of the problem and assured me that a manager would call me back (over a week ago) and no one ever called.
At the very least, someone should have called me to be sure that I was ok and to give me a refund for the meal that ruined about 4 days of my holiday vacation. The lack of response is simply unacceptable and unprofessional.
Update: after I posted this review, the manager called me, apologized, and sent me a refund for my meal. -
Review from n m.
San Jose, CA
11/3/2011
Really disappointed with St Johns for the Chicken Cheese Steak sandwich. It took me 4 bites and I was done with it, that's how small of a portion I got. You'd think for 9.95, that you would get your moneys worth. It's not the same as it use to be. The fries were way on the salty side of things, the sandwich just had cheese and chicken only. Really, thats more like a grilled cheese with chicken in the middle.
I don't think I will be coming back here again... -
Review from Some D.
Sunnyvale, CA
1/31/2012
Great burgers and beer selection with lots of outdoor seating. It gets a bit too crowded whenever there's a sports game on though. Sometimes you can still find seating outdoors but the line to order can be 10+ minutes long.
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Review from Connie C.
11/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
+ Half priced burgers on Wednesday and Saturday
+Great parking in the lot
+Special condiments!
+BIG FAT JUICY BURGERS NOM NOM NOM
I came here with a large group on Wednesday night to try their delicious burgers I've been hearing so much about. I ordered the mushroom burger with turkey meat instead, no extra charge! Burgers don't include fries but you won't need it because you'll fill up from the burger alone. They have a good selection of different burgers and even fries. BTW, burgers actually come with a bag of Lay's chips.
I tried their curry ketchup and despite how weird it sounds, I loved it with my burger! The juicy turkey burger complimented so well with the melty swiss cheese and sauteed mushrooms. Only thing I can ask more for is just guacamole in there!
There's tons of seating and even patio seating. The atmosphere is really friendly and you won't feel out of place. -
Review from Geoff M.
Boulder Creek, CA
12/30/2011
Decent food, featuring burgers as well as numerous variations on a basic beef sandwich theme with 1:1 chicken alternatives. Beware: a basket of fries is easily enough for two people.
Very good full bar, with (as I write this) Pliny the Elder on tap(!).
The bartenders are friendly and fun. The employees at the counter where you order your food, though, are reminiscent of air traffic controllers at a major hub. They're harried to the max, and are focused on throughput over diplomacy. This isn't the place to be indecisive or play Twenty Questions. Have your act together when you approach the register. The cashiers (and the customers in the long line behind you) will be grateful.
Caveat: The place opens at 11:00. Either get there early, or wait until early afternoon, when the lunch wave (more like a tsunami) has passed through. Seriously. 11:30 would be pushing it. If you're going to lunch with coworkers, and getting your group organized and out the door is like trying to herd cats, you'd best be extra assertive with them.
Given that this is probably the most popular lunch spot in Silicon Valley, it's *not* the sort of place you casually amble into at noon. By then parking will be impossible, the line will be out the door, and there'll be no place to sit. -
Review from George L.
Saratoga, CA
11/12/2011
Some things I just don't get and this might be one of them.
So I've wanted to try St. John's for quite a while especially after reading so many great reviews about the place. I just got back and had the Guaco bacon burger. As expected, because it's Saturday with 1/2 off burgers all day there was a line forming even before the place opened. I place my order, pay, sit down and await my burger. Finally it comes.
So I finished it all and say I've definitely experienced better, especially for the money. The meat is grilled, which is nice, but there's really nothing special about the flavor. The meat was also fairly dry. The bacon and guacamole are solid, however. Unfortunately the bun is a generic, cold, mass produced bun. At times, it seemed to engulf the burger both physically and in taste. Their curry and chipotile ketchup are great, however. I really like their curry ketchup.
Service, is very friendly and efficient, so kudos for that.
This is where I'm fairly split on how to rate my experience. Now the burger normally costs $8.95, but at half off comes out to $4.47. At full price I definitely do not believe it's worth it. I'd rather go to The Counter, Red Robin (which has all you can eat steak fries), Five Guys, In N Out or a lot of restaurants that also sell burgers. At half off, the burgers are a much better value, maybe even a good value. Of course in getting a burger, most people also get fries and a drink, which are additional costs on top of the burger, so you can easily spend $10-$15 per person when looking at total cost with fries/onion rings/fried zucchini and a drink. That's where my rating comes in.
I've definitely had better, but it's great that they have daily specials. I might be back if I'm craving a burger or perhaps for their Tri Tip sandwich special.
2.5-3/5 -
Review from Sandra L.
Half Moon Bay, CA
10/13/2011
Working relatively close to this place is a double-edge sword! Man is this place good!!! But be warned, this place gets packed during the lunch hour so either get their early or after the lunch rush!
I just love their Hickory Burger w/ No cheese and to make it even better, I have them add Avocado to it, OMG, I've died and gone to heaven! Their burger meat is cooked just the way you order it and is super juicy. OH, and did I mention the food always comes up fast! I also order their Gauco Bacon Burger and just have them add their BBQ Sauce, comes out just as good.
Their Burgers run anywhere from $7.00-9.50/ea depending on what you get and don't forget they have special on certain days like Burger Bash - 1/2 price burgers on Wednesday Nights and all day on Saturdays or Cheap Eats - all Appetizers are 1/2 off Friday night.
This place is great for Lunch, Happy Hour, or Dinner! They have seating in doors and a patio area where you can sit outdoors and enjoy the weather if it's nice. Certain days, the grill outside will even be going and you can enjoy your food with the lately smell of fresh BBQ.
The service is always fast, friendly, and efficient including the folks tending the full Bar that is available. You can choose what ever you want to wash your food down.
All I want is my Burger, Fries and a Cold Beer and my visit at St. Johns is perfect!
